


Feathers

by Feuerkindjana



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Crowley's Name is Crawly | Crawley (Good Omens), Crowley.exe has stopped working, Gen, Headcanon, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, No beta we fall like Crowley, The Beginning, Trust, feathers - Freeform, ngk, not smote but smitten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:01:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27036097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feuerkindjana/pseuds/Feuerkindjana
Summary: Feathers share the same vibrant energy as the wings they used to be attached to. To give them away is to open oneself up to destruction while having faith that it won't come to that.Another headcanon.
Kudos: 19





	Feathers

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another headcanon that got away from me.

Feathers

Their feathers are part of them and thus send out the same unique energy as the whole being. Therefore it can be used as a ‘homing device’ or tracker of sorts since the vibration is more palpable when the feather is closer to the owner. A change in the vibration, for example when the owner is in pain or despair, can be detected in the feather. It also allows to clearly identify the other, so no mistakes by misremembering the energy signature will happen. Also doppelgangers have no chance as their signature won’t match the feather. What it comes down to, though, is trust. Trust that this power will not be abused, trust that the feather will be safe and not lost nor given away, trust to return or destroy it if it’s not needed anymore, trust that the enemy will be true to his word. Giving away a feather is giving away your life, opening oneself up to possible destruction and having faith that it won't come. Faith in the enemy against better judgement.

After the first rainfall ended and Aziraphale and Crawly are about to leave the Eastern Wall, the Angel makes a decision. He starts rambling before he has a chance to fidget and reconsider.  
“Crawly, I do wish to ask something but I’m afraid it’s awfully forward, maybe even rude although my intentions are anything but. You can of course refuse and I wouldn’t hold it against you all things considered but I should hope you’ll see the benefits of it. It’s for your own good after all.”

Crawly, getting considerably confused, annoyed and thoroughly amused at the same time by the babbling Angel interrupts: “ Get to the point. I don’t have all day to figure out what you actually want.”

For a moment the Angel is stunned, then appalled by the rudeness and finally agrees that the demon has a point. “Right. Yes, well. I er.. Um... Well... You’ve been kind to me and I’d like to honor that and pay it forward if you will. I would loathe to accidentally smite you because I don’t recognize you in a clever disguise. So, umm..I’d wonder if you’d concede to bequeath me one of your ~~lovely formidable glorious beautiful~~ valuable feathers. I know it is a lot to ask but I promise to cherish it and keep it safe and hidden. No one will ever know. I just don’t want to hurt you should our paths cross again in a distant future. I’m sure there will be more of your side up and about and I don’t know if I’ll remember your “ - he stops his fidgeting to wave his hand vaguely in Crawly’s general direction - “Signature correctly when I’m getting into full warrior mode to fight against a Demon. As I said, I’d hate to be the source of your pain when all you offered me was kindness.”

Crawly stares. A full minute later he still stares unbelievingly at the Angel that just requested him to hand over the means of his demise but only in order to avoid smiting him. What a peculiar creature. How bold and clever and brave. This fuzzy fidgety ray of sunshine, who by rights should have smote him on the spot, but instead offered conversation and shelter actually wants to keep him safe. At least from him. “Ngk.”

“What was that? Anyway, I understand that this is not only unheard of but highly dangerous for you so I’ll offer one of mine in exchange. Equal footing in a manner of speaking. If that is acceptable.”  
Crawly stares. Anytime soon a fly will find him and make renovations in his mouth and start a family if he can’t get his vocal chords and brain to cooperate. The Angel, Aziraphale, he reminds himself, just offered his life to a demon. The means to track him down and ambush him, the means to kill him. Why would he do that? Why does he trust a random creature of Hell at all, but even more to the point: why with this? Sure, Crawly gave no indication of wanting to harm the Angel but it could all be trick, a way to make him fall or to open himself up for an attack... then again, hadn’t he been open to that the entire time? He had no protective stance, no guards up or even a way of speaking that would hint to careful phrasing of information. Nothing. He was unsuspecting and inviting the whole time. No one would believe he even had a ‘full warrior mode’ if not for the fact that he was a Principality and Guardian of the Eastern Gate that used to handle a flaming sword. And even that he just gave away...

Aziraphale went still and turned to the demon gawking at his side. Finally, the creature blinked, closed and opened its mouth a few times and sputtered out: “Yeah, sure. Err why not. I ahh see no reason not to ~~trust you~~ do that.”

“Oh thank you, Crawly! For minute there I thought you were going to run.” Aziraphale said relieved. Crawly made a noncommittal sound and waved a hand as if to say that that was a ridiculous assumption.(It wasn’t.) Oddly enough, the Angel seemed to understand.  
Then he brought his wing down and plucked a small and perfectly white and soft feather from it. Crawly, dazed and utterly confused, mirrored his actions. After they exchanged the delicate feathers, Aziraphale straightens his posture and regards Crawly with a blinding smile. “Thank you, my dear! I’ll protect it with my life! I better go now. I’m sure I’ll receive orders or some sort of punishment any minute now. Mind how you go.”

With that he waved and turned to leave the stunned Demon in his wake. “Yeah, see you around, I guess.” he replied weakly and watched him go. When the Angel was no longer visible, Crawly felt suddenly very much alone and unsafe out in the open like that. He retreated into the shadows, cradling the pure white feather against his heart and wondered, not for the first time, what just happened.


End file.
